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Grey Gables - Lake Windermere, Cumbria

Overview

This impressive Lakeland-stone holiday home sits in an enviable position on the shores of Lake Windermere. Sleeping up to 10 guests, Grey Gables has been painstakingly designed to create the ultimate luxury holiday home – think incredible lake views, designer details, a home cinema and games room.

The general theme is ‘luxurious lodge’, and the antlers dotted around the house, the warm plaid fabrics and the faux fur rugs all contribute to the ski chalet/hunting lodge feel. There’s even a giant antler chandelier in the main living room where large double-fronted windows open onto an acre of garden. Despite these impressive features, Grey Gables is a wonderful home-from-home, with a welcoming family room with Stuv woodburner and a cosy snug in which to relax.

The stylish kitchen is a wonderful feature of this luxury holiday home and boasts all the latest mod cons and furniture by the likes of Ralph Lauren, with a rustic green-oak dining table overlooking the lake, while the cinema room with 65-inch screen and a large games room mean everyone is kept entertained. A glass and stainless-steel staircase leads up to five stunning bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows – two have oval baths overlooking the lake, for the ultimate relaxing soak.

Outside your luxury holiday home, there's a generous terrace for dining and sunbathing, an acre of gardens just perfect for ball games, and a jetty where you can tie up your boats or kayaks and enjoy direct access to Lake Windermere.

Inside

Bedrooms & Bathrooms

A bespoke glass and stainless steel staircase leads to five en-suite bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, four of which have uninterrupted lake views, and three of which have balconies. Each of the spacious bedrooms has a ViSpring bed, two of which can be made up as twins. Two bedrooms have oval baths overlooking Lake Windermere, perfect for a sunset bathe, while all bathrooms have Mandarin Stone walls and giant Drench showers, adding to the luxurious feel.

Living Rooms

Despite its luxury details, Grey Gables maintains a cosy and comfortable feel - but there’s still plenty of space for all the family. The open plan living area features a high-spec kitchen, impressive dining table and living area with Stuv woodburner faced with local Burlington Stone, while the main lounge with woodburner and additional snug are both ideal for late-night Scrabble and Monopoly marathons.

Kitchen & Dining

From the kitchen’s stone surfaces and quality appliances by Gaggenau, to the Ralph Lauren, Andrew Martin and Van Thiel furniture, this domestic domain is fully equipped with all the latest mod cons including a convenient Quooker tap and three cookers - enough to keep your party well fed. The adjacent breakfast area, with its rustic green-oak dining table and benches overlooking the lake, is perfectly positioned to catch the morning sun. A few steps lead to a more formal dining area with a bespoke 3.5m, log-edge, 12-seater Whetstone Oak table.

Other Spaces

The cinema room has a 65-inch screen, Cambridge Audio speakers and a stunning Mah Jong sofa from Roche Bobois, and provides the ultimate chill-out den to watch favourite film classics; the huge Bartholomew walking map in here will also help you plan days out exploring the local area. Be sure to find the boot room kitted out with multi-coloured Hunter wellies, along with a ground floor shower and laundry facilities, perfect for guests who have come to enjoy active days outdoors.

For those who like to shoot pool, there’s a large games room with a bespoke 8ft table with modern pendant lights above, a flat-screen TV and shelves full of books on the local area as well as design and interiors.

Outside

The Gardens

The impressive outdoor terrace has a dining area and sun loungers, along with a BBQ area and extra seating. An acre of garden surrounds the house, planted with native grasses and shrubs, while lawns to the front and rear lead down to the lake and provide ample room for a game of rounders or football. The jetty provides direct access to the water and is the perfect place to tie up your kayaks; if you want to hire kayaks or boats during your stay just head to Bowness and there are plenty of options.

Things To Do

Water Activities

There’s nothing better than getting out on the water, and one of the best ways to explore the Lakes is by boat. Visit the Windermere Canoe Kayak centre to hire kayaks or canoes for half or full days, or opt for one of the many short cruises which run in the area - try the Keswick Launch Company for Derwentwater, Windermere Lake Cruises for Windermere and Coniston Launch for Coniston Water. If you’re a water sports enthusiast, visit Go Lakes to arrange everything from sailing and diving to windsurfing and water-skiing.

Health & Fitness

This is a great region for walking, biking and climbing and Windermere’s Tourist Information centre offers advice and maps for suggested routes. Seasoned walkers should be sure to tick the famous Scafell Pike off their list, while bike hire is readily available at Windermere Railway Station and Grizedale Forest, the largest forest in the Lake District and completely traffic free. For climbers, the mountains in the area are hard to beat, but you could opt for the Kendal Wall climbing centre which is home to the tallest indoor wall in the country and offers both indoor and outdoor sessions. Afterwards, soothe tired limbs with an indulgent spa treatment at the MacDonald Old England hotel in Bowness.

Food & Restaurants

Whether you’re after a cosy pub lunch or a more formal dinner, there are some fantastic places nearby. The Drunken Duck is a firm favourite, set above Ambleside and commanding superb views of the Lake District fells, while the Gilpin Lodge Hotel in Windermere offers fine dining without any stuffiness - set in 22 acres of gardens it’s perfect for children to run around and there’s even a croquet lawn. For something really special, try Simon Rogan’s iconic L'Enclume restaurant, located on the riverside in the historic village of Cartmel. Simon creates amazing food from locally sourced foods and his own 12-acre farm is located in Cartmel Valley nearby.

Other Activities

Discover the National Trust’s Wray Castle, a mock-gothic fantasy castle set amongst woodland on the western shores of Lake Windermere, or wander the beautiful gardens at Holker Hall, the home of Lord and Lady Cavendish - there are plenty of picnic and children’s play areas. Up the ante with a treetop adventure at Grizedale Forest’s Go Ape or enjoy horse riding in the private farmland at Holmescales Riding Centre, perfect for novices and pros alike.

Location

Grey Gables sits directly on Lake Windermere, with the pretty town of Bowness just a couple of minutes away by car. It’s the perfect retreat for fun on the lake, walks in the stunning countryside or just a haven to kick back and take in the fresh air.

The nearest train station is located at Windermere, approximately 5 miles away. Taxis can be arranged to pick you up from the station.